WASHINGTON (RNS) California megachurch pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren spent his Independence Day here in the nation’s capital addressing the largest Muslim organization in North America.
While publicity ignited before the speech, the actual event had some competing fanfare. The speech kicked off 40 minutes late, and just in time for the Fourth of July fireworks on Washington’s National Mall.
Several conference attendees said they left halfway through in order to catch the patriotic display.
Still, the evangelical megachurch pastor and author of “The Purpose Driven Life,” addressed a packed house at the 46th annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), an event which regularly draws 30,000 attendees.
Warren called on the world’s two largest religions to partner in addressing global injustices like poverty and war. Warren emphasized interfaith action, not just interfaith dialogue.
“I like that for him it’s not just about talking together, but about accomplishing something together,” said Farhana Ahmed, 25, who heard the speech in its entirety. “With that, you have more interaction and relationship. You can talk forever and not get anywhere.”
Ahmed’s husband, Rafi Khan, 26, said he appreciated that Warren understood Muslim Americans seek not just to be tolerated, but to be respected.
Nadia Nawaz, an ISNA attendee, is a kindergarten teacher in Orange County, near Warren’s 24,000-member Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif.
While she left early to see the show on Capitol Hill, she said Warren “made really good points about working together for peace, giving a message of unity.”
Critics blasted Warren’s appearance, but the minister has not shied from disagreeing with fellow evangelicals, either about his prayer at President Obama’s inauguration or his talk at the Muslim Public Affairs Council in December of 2008.
He addressed the criticisms in his speech:
“It’s easier to be an extremist of any kind because then you only have one group of people mad at you,” he said, according to the Associated Press. “But if you actually try to build relationships — like invite an evangelical pastor to your gathering — you’ll get criticized for it. So will I.”
Warren’s talk was followed by a panel discussion that included Hamza Yusuf, a California-based Islamic scholar, and Yusuf Islam, who recorded music under the name Cat Stevens.
By Tiffany Stanley
Copyright 2009 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted July 6, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Talking is better than shooting! Never hurts to keep a dialogue going between religions. Not a big fan of Warren…but perhaps he made some progress in understanding between Christianity and Mulsims.
posted July 6, 2009 at 7:56 pm
It sounds like it could have been a positive thing.
posted July 6, 2009 at 11:28 pm
The main question is why Rick is speaking at the ISNA conference? While I do not wish to offer an apologia for ISNA, I would refer you to multiple articles that describe the organization’s goals in reaching out to other faiths, including Judaism, and denouncing terrorism (Rabbi Eric Yoffie, the leader of the largest branch of American Judaism, addressed the convention two years ago; also see the AP story on July 1 by Zoll, and stories in the Christian Post, Church Solutions and even the Washington Times in the past week).
What I would like to clarify is Rick’s message and motive. You claim that Rick probably doesn’t have an agenda, but I would like to assert that it is his lifelong agenda that led him to accept the invitation to speak at ISNA. You may have noticed that outside of Saddleback Church, and Rick’s 30 year Purpose Driven Ministry to pastors, he does very little speaking to Christian groups of believers. Instead, he invests his time speaking to groups of unbelievers that most pastors never get the opportunity to share with. He carefully considers the opportunities that God has given him to address these audiences. These are folks that Jesus died for, but would never enter a church to hear the Good News. Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Luke 5:31 (NIV) Rick believes strongly that if you want to actively demonstrate the love of Christ to others as He commands us to, then you have to reach out to a variety of audiences. No one is ever convinced of God’s love by labeling, condemnation, or anger. Rick strongly believes that if we want to behave in a Christ-like example, we must not waste any time judging others (Jesus didn’t), but instead, do everything we can to build relationships of love and respect and trust with others.
In our secular culture, there are about a dozen different groups of influencers that we at Saddleback seek to serve and reach out to including those in academics, business, military, sports, health care, media, prisoners, entertainment, other faiths, and government. If we are to fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission in the world, we must build bridges to all of these, and more. Just know the goal of every speaking engagement Rick accepts is always the same: The global glory of God. We seek to build bridges of love – from our hearts to hearts of even those we may disagree with – so that Jesus can walk across!
The theme of the session at which Rick will speak is “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,” a theme most appropriate for a message on perhaps our country’s most sacred day, Independence Day. Rick will bring a message appropriate to the values of the meaning of this day on what America and all Americans, not just Muslims or Christians, need to maintain our independence. Freedom and independence were at the core of our country’s founders and those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect this country across its history. As a pastor, Rick intimately understands these values, particularly the value of religious freedom, and will fiercely advocate for them unashamedly in front of any audience. But religious freedom means the right to practice the religion of one’s choice regardless of whether or not others agree with a particular religion’s tenets, and the freedom to associate for the common good of all Americans and for those less fortunate than us around the world. That is a value that is not only part of our heritage as Americans, but also a commandment of Jesus Christ.
I appreciate the opportunity to clarify Rick’s appearance before ISNA and would refer you to a recent issue of Rick’s “News and Views” in which he thoroughly discusses why he speaks to a variety of audiences.
http://www.saddlebackfamily.com/blogs/newsandviews/index.html?contentID=2625
posted July 6, 2009 at 11:43 pm
I don’t recall electing Warren as spokesperson for American Christians. I suppose there are far worse choices.
I think he needs his people to work on those persnickety details a little more. NO ONE competes with The Fireworks. And 4th of July is an American holiday, and not a religious event. A subtlety like speaking to this group rather than allowing them to enjoy the show with all of the thousands of other Americans on the Mall was an oversight. But with time and practice he may get the hang of all the intricacies of ecumenism.
posted July 8, 2009 at 10:37 am
I really didn’t know much about Michael Jackson and his Philanthropy work all over the world until yesterday when I watched his Memorial at Staples in L.A. Rev. Al Sharpton gave a great speech and he mentioned how Michaels message throughout his life was for love and understanding people, and “Feeding the Poor”, as in “We Are The World”. He was even given an award from Congress and the Senate, for doing his work to help people. His spreading of the word of Jesus, LOVE, in his natural way of his musical talents is why the young listened and loved him. I don’t think he mentioned Jesus, but he spread the meaning of love better, and helping people sooner, than politicians or Rev. Warren. He also helped bring all races and different ethnicities together to understand each other. Just a thought I wanted to share.